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start-screen interview questions

Top start-screen frequently asked interview questions

How do I sync grouped Windows Store apps between devices?

I've grouped my applications in a certain way that I like. Is there any way to sync this grouping between my Windows 8 devices?

For Example, if I have all of my media apps (Netflix, Hulu, Music, etc,.) all grouped together and named "Entertainment" I would like for these apps to be grouped similarly on all of my devices:


Source: (StackOverflow)

Duplicate tile in Windows8 start screen

Sometimes I want the same Tile in two groups in the Windows 8 start screen. Is it doable?

I guess I can make an extra shortcut pointing to the same program and pin it to the start screen. It seems a bit clumsy to me so I wonder if there is a better way.


Source: (StackOverflow)

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Desktop preview on start screen tile

Is it possible to display a preview of the desktop on the desktop tile, like you get when switching to it?

enter image description here


Source: (StackOverflow)

Why don't some of the tiles on Windows 8 Start Screen have the "larger" choice?

It seems like some of the app images on the Windows 8 start screen have a "Larger" button to show a rectangle bigger layout tile (compared to the square). But I noticed that a number of apps don't have this option when I right click on the icon. I can't see any pattern here. Is there some logic why some app can be shown in the larger tile and some can only be shown in the square size ?


Source: (StackOverflow)

How can I display the Windows 8 Start Screen on a secondary monitor?

Is there a way to get Windows 8 to use my secondary monitor for the start screen?


Source: (StackOverflow)

How to pin a website to the Windows 8 Start screen without Internet Explorer as default browser?

I'm not sure if I like the whole idea of Start screen yet, but I would find it more useful with Stack Overflow as a tile in the group.

Is there a way to add the Stack Exchange sites to this screen and if so how?

My default web browser is Chrome.


Source: (StackOverflow)

How do I restore the desktop tile?

I'm using Windows 8 and have managed to lose the Desktop tile.

How do I put it back?


Source: (StackOverflow)

Where exactly are the apps shortcuts in the Windows 8 Start Screen stored?

I'm trying to mess around with starting up modern UI applications from the desktop and various other weirdness. While I've been digging, I can't seem to work out where exactly the shortcuts to Windows modern UI apps are stored.

With my classic desktop applications they are in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs. The modern UI stuff doesn't turn up though. Where are the shortcuts to the modern UI apps stored so that the start screen can find them?

For the sake of completeness, I'd also ask where the classic desktop application shortcuts are stored.


Source: (StackOverflow)

Save Win8 start screen layout (as a template)

Is there a way for me to SAVE my "start menu" layout to a file (xml?), meaning the grouping and ordering of the elements on the Start screen.

TO CLARIFY... I am aware of and understand the "roaming" profile capability / behavior which support syncing your user preferences between devices.

I like the way my start screen is set up.... I want to be able save it, switch things around, and then restore my previous layout.

Almost like how you can save "templates" of layouts on some Android devices.

Is it in the registry?


Source: (StackOverflow)

Windows 8 Stuck on Start Screen File Search

I have been searching someone else having the same issue but I couldn't find any. Here is my problem:

I'm using Windows 8 Pro with Media Center. File search screen does not close itself after I make a file search within start screen. It stuck on that screen. I can't go back to desktop, therefore, task manager is inaccessible. Only way to get out of it is to sign out. It also looks like non-operational. It doesn't give me any result at all. It's just a blank screen with "Files" title. It used to work perfectly.

Things I have done before coming here:

  1. Safe mode minimal boot to ensure no other 3rd party software interferes.
  2. sfc haven't found any inconsistencies.
  3. Search index has been rebuild.
  4. Normal boot with all 3rd party services and start-up items disabled.
  5. System restore to a date that I know this feature was functional.

And by the way, I have installed all updates released so far.

I strongly used file search via start menu back in Windows 7. This is an absolute game changer for me. I'm curious what causes this. I'll do a "system refresh" if I can't fix this. I'm working on it, I'll keep this thread updated should I find any fix.


First update: I just discovered that file search screen gets stuck if it's invoked by typing query directly in start screen. It doesn't get stuck if it's invoked from win + x menu. I was able to "escape" from stuck screen with invoking it again by win + x menu. After rebuilding search index again, search suggestions started to appear again but still there is no file search functionality.

Second update: "Results for" expression appears only for a second near to "Files" title when search is initialized.

Third update: As a last resort, I finally tried to do a "System Refresh" which has also failed to refresh by giving an error after waiting almost 20 minutes at 99%. (Seriously?) After cold boot it began to undo changes. After changes were reverted, I boot the machine without doing anything further and bingo! Search began acting normal again. This is a totally weird solution. It obviously fixed certain system files during failed refresh, and kept those changes untouched because they were supposed to be that way at the first place. I'll keep this thread alive should anyone comes with a more logical explanation.

Forth update: After a windows update, search functionality again stopped responding. It happened after a system update for the first time. Now I have a pretty good suspicion about system update, though I have no solid proof of its involvement with this problem.


Source: (StackOverflow)

Windows 8 Start Screen - Moving groups

Thanks to help I've gotten from SuperUser I've learned how to create groups of icons on the Windows 8 Start Screen... but how can I move entire groups? I don't want to have to manually drag each icon around from every group.

So for example, how could I switch my Adobe and Microsoft Office groups around without dragging individual icons?

enter image description here


Source: (StackOverflow)

Pin Custom Files in Windows 8 Start Screen

If I right-click any .EXE file, it has the Pin to Start option:

But, if I right-click any file, it doesn't have the Pin to Start option:

Is there any trick/workaround to pin files to the Start Screen?


Source: (StackOverflow)

How to search for a folder from the Windows 8 Start screen

In Windows 7, if you press the Windows key and type the name of a folder, and the folder shows up among the Start menu search results. In Windows 8, if you do the same thing, no folders are listed. The Files filter shows files with matching names, but no folders.

I realize that you can still search for folders from the Windows Explorer search box, but navigating that way is a bit slow and clumsy. Is there a quicker way, in particular a way to search directly from the Windows 8 Start screen?


Source: (StackOverflow)

How to make a Start Screen icon for Notepad that will always open a new Notepad when clicked in Windows 8?

Just installed Windows 8, pinned Notepad to the start screen. When I press the Windows key and use the Notepad tile to run Notepad, it will focus on the currently open Notepad window. I'd like it to start a new instance of Notepad. Is this possible?


Source: (StackOverflow)

How can I get the Windows 8 start-screen in Windows 10?

I was skeptical about the modern-UI interface in Windows 8 (and 8.1), having been a Windows 7 user for a while, but slowly got used to it.

My laptop got the upgrade to Windows 10 yesterday that I had reserved a while back; the upgrade process was fast and overall Windows 10 runs far better than Windows 8 did on my laptop.

The only thing wrong with it (in my opinion) is that the start menu has changed again:

enter image description here

It's nice to use on a desktop, but as my laptop is touch-screen, I find it somewhat annoying to use. I know that the start menu in Windows 10 is still touch-oriented, but it's still annoying as I had got used to the start screen in Windows 8.

Is it possible to change back to the start-screen that was in Windows 8?


Source: (StackOverflow)